Lesson 2

In this episode, Angela and Peter talk about education in Korea. Check out through the video the competitive atmosphere amongst parents that Peter experienced as a father raising kids in Korea and the reason that Korean parents send their kids to cram schools until late at night explained by Angela.

1. 영어 유치원
영어 유치원 refers to a preschool that only or mostly uses English. Parents who want their children to be exposed to an English-speaking environment send their children to 영어 유치원.

2. 유치원
유치원 refers to a preschool. It tends to be confused with 어린이집, which is similar to it but closer to daycares.

3. 독서 [독써]
독서 means reading.

ex) 저는 독서를 별로 안 좋아해요. I don't like reading that much.

4. 학원 [하권]
학원 is a cram school or private institute that teaches students to achieve particular goals such as school exams or learning instruments.

5. 방과후
The word 방과후 used here is a coined word that refers to after-school activities offered by the school. It is short for 방과후학교. 방과 means dismissal of a class and 후 means after. 방과 is mostly used with 후 instead of being used on its own. If you say 방과 후, with the space in between them, it means "after school."

ex1) 방과후 끝나면 몇 시예요? What time is it when you finish your after-school activity.

ex2) 방과 후에 뭐 할거야? What are you going to do after school?

6. 태권도 [태꿘도]
태권도 is a Korean traditional martial art. You can easily find 태권도 학원 where people, usually kids, can learn 태권도 in your neighborhood in Korea.

7. CSAT
CSAT is an abbreviation for College Scholastic Ability Test which is a standardized test accepted by universities in Korean.

8. 수능
수능 is Korean for CSAT which is an abbrevation for 대학수학능력시험.

9. 선후배
선후배 is a combined word of 선배 and 후배. 선배 is someone who is in a higher grade in your school or started working earlier than you and has more experience at work. 후배 is someone who is in a lower grade in your school or started working later than you and has less experience at work.

ex) 우리 회사는 선후배끼리 사이가 좋아요. Seniors and juniors in my company are on good terms.